The Bones In Bones
by JoeNobody
Summary: Seeley Booth knows Bones very well, but how well does he know Bones' bones? He has to prove it, and the stakes are very high...
1. Chapter 1

_OK, I lied._

_I said that if I got another idea, I'd write another BB story. Well, I don't have an idea of my own – I'm lifting someone else's._

_I found myself greatly enjoying ShimmerAteDeath's "The A__natomy Lesson", and __was grossly disappointed that they didn't finish it. So I decided to appropriate the concept and a couple of elements for my own story._

_Morally, I'm rationalizing it on several grounds:_

_1) Shimmer, legally doesn't own the story or the characters, so I'm not "stealing" their property. _

_2) Since they haven't updated the story in over two years, I consider it "abandoned property."_

_3) I'm giving them full credit, so it's not plagiarism._

_That's all sophistry, I admit, but is it acceptable sophistry?_

_Here's my plan: I'm going to publish the first chapter below, and then wait for you folks to tell me in reviews whether or not I should continue. Yeah, once again I'm engaging in sophistry – I'm basically bribing you folks who liked my first story and like this sample to feed my ego and tell me to continue – but again, I'm being up-front about it, so I claim credit for honesty, if nothing else._

_For the record, this story ties in with "Dr. Temperance Brennan Engages In Sexual Intercourse" – it's set shortly before that story. The two have been in a romantic/sexual relationship for a few months. _

**The Bones In Bones**

Chapter 1

Booth and Brennan were lounging around her apartment, finishing off the paperwork on their last case. Initially, they'd resisted bringing work home with them, but they discovered it actually worked out quite well – in either his or her apartment (usually hers), they were more comfortable and got things done faster than in the lab, and could then move on to… other matters more readily. Further, Booth actually found it strangely sexy when Bones "got all squinty" in her night clothes or a robe – or, once even, nude. Although he could have done without the time she barged in on him in the bathroom to share her sudden insight.

"Hey, Bones, what's that bone in the lower leg called – the tibula?"

Bones looked up and sighed. "There are two bones there. The one in front is the tibia, the one behind it is the fibula."

"Thanks." He went back to his paperwork.

"You know, Booth, you'd think that after all the years we've worked together, mostly with me working with and talking about bones, you'd have picked up a bit more knowledge of anatomy – if by osmosis by nothing else. But you're always asking me to name bones for you."

"I have learned a lot from you. It's just when you're handy, it's easier and quicker to ask you than to try to remember on my own."

"It gets a little tedious at times, Seeley. It means you have to interrupt me and whatever I'm working on or thinking about to answer you."

"So? With your brain, it can't slow you down for a second."

"But it's annoying. And it makes you look ignorant."

Booth, naturally took offense. "Hey, I am not ignorant. OK, maybe a little lazy in this case, but I know my bones."

She responded, equally irritated. "I'd like to see you prove that."

"Fine. I bet you I can name half the bones in the human body without any help."

Bones considered that boast for a moment. "No. Not good enough."

"Huh?"

"Half is way too easy. In a classroom setting, that would still be a failure." Bones did some quick calculations. There are 206 bones in the body, and that didn't lend itself to many easy breakdowns. "75%, Booth. That's a passing grade in pretty much any school. I challenge you to identify at least three-quarters of the bones in the human body."

Booth gulped. She was right – half would have been very easy. Three-quarters, though – that was a real challenge. But he was not the type to back down from a challenge.

"And that would be how many?"

"That's part of the bet. You also have to know when you've reached at least three quarters. You can identify as many as you like, but once you stop, you better have at least three quarters correct, or you lose."

Booth smiled. She was a quick learner, grabbing that advantage. "You're on."

"Not so fast. Let's set the terms first."

"OK. What do you have in mind?"

"First up, we do this right here, right now. No chance for you to prepare."

He smiled. "You don't want me to 'bone up' first?"

She frowned. I don't understand that. If you mean I wouldn't want you to have an erection during the wager, I don't see how that would be relevant…"

"Never mind. I'll explain later. OK, right here and right now. No problem. What else?"

"The stakes, of course. What good would be a bet without stakes?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"We've customarily settled such matters before with sexual favors – it's become our standard currency. Does that suit you?"

"You know it does. And let me put this on the table – I'm so confident I'll win, I'll write you a blank check. Whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want."

"That's very generous – and very cocky – of you, Booth, but I'd rather nail things down beforehand. How about this – if I win, you will give me a 15-minute sensual back massage, followed by a 15-minute front massage."

"Deal."

"Hang on, I wasn't done. That will be followed by you giving me four orgasms – one using your 'secret technique' that you refuse to describe, one using your remarkable oral skills, and two more using two other methods of your choice."

"Tough penalty. That it?"

"No, one final condition. During the entire time, you will be dressed in your boxers with the cocks all over them – and you will not take them off."

"Roosters, Bones. They're roosters."

"I don't understand the distinction. Aren't 'rooster' and 'cock' synonyms?"

"Not in this context, Bones. I'll explain that one later, too. So, that's it?"

"That should be sufficient. And what would you like?"

"I think I'll steal a bit of yours, for starters. The fifteen-minute front and back massages sound really good. Then I'd like 15 minutes of your 'remarkable oral skills,' and then we make love with you on top. And the entire time, you'll be completely naked."

"That's more than acceptable. But…"

"What's the matter, Bones? Afraid you'll lose?"

"Not in the least – and that's the problem."

"Huh?"

"Booth, let's be honest. Those 'penalties' – neither of us would really mind losing. I'd be glad to do that for you simply for the asking, and I believe you would too. In fact, I can see us agreeing to them as a simple quid pro quo arrangement. So there's really no great risk involved. We should include something non-sexual in the wager, to give us a real incentive to want to win."

"OK, I can see that. What did you have in mind?"

"If I win, I drive for a week."

Booth didn't like the sound of that, but a bet was a bet. And he had something in mind in return, one that would give him equal satisfaction. "And if I win, you have to wear my belt buckle to the lab for a week."

"Your 'cocky' buckle? I can't imagine you'd give that up for a week."

"The thought of you wearing it – and having to explain it to all your squints – would make it so worthwhile."

She frowned at that thought. It would be awkward, and definitely open her up for some teasing that she would not welcome. But the thought of watching Booth squirm in the passenger seat of his SUV for a whole week made it worth it. "Agreed."

"Agreed. So, let's get started. There's the tibia, the fibula…"

"Stop right there, Booth."

"Huh?"

"I didn't say you had to list the bones in the human body – I said you had to identify them."

Booth was confused. "You mean, in a real skeleton? We don't have a real skeleton here." His eyes suddenly began darting Bones' apartment. He'd never noticed one, but then again he'd never really looked, and if anyone would have an actual human skeleton – or even a replica – in their home, it would be Bones. "You don't actually have a skeleton here, do you?"

"Booth, don't be ridiculous. Of course we do." With that, she held out her arms, palms facing him, and tilted her head with a condescendingly cocked eyebrow. "Right here."

"Oh, you want me to identify YOUR bones!" And with that, the contest suddenly got far more interesting.

"You catch on quick – sometimes. I'll be right back – and stay away from my books while I'm gone. No cheating!" With that, she stepped into the bedroom and shut the door.

In her bedroom, Bones quickly undressed and pulled open her dresser drawer. She wasn't much of an aficionado of lingerie – she often said she didn't see the point of spending a lot of money on clothing that most of the time doesn't get seen, and when it does has the sole purpose of being removed as quickly as possible. But Angela had bullied her into buying several pieces of it.

"Sweetie, sometimes just knowing you're wearing it – even though no one can see it – can get your juices flowing. And letting him know you're wearing it can get him seriously hot and bothered. Plus, there are other times it can come in handy."

She pulled out one set she'd never worn before and started slipping it on.

While she was gone, Booth closed his eyes and visualized a skeleton spread out on Bones' table. He did, indeed, know a lot more than he had been letting on about bones. He knew there were 206 bones in the body, which meant he'd have to come up with 155. 103 would have been a piece of cake, but those extra 52 could be a real strain. He saw the skeleton and started putting names to bones.

"Ready to get started?" Booth looked up, and saw her standing before him in her robe. And his eyes nearly fell out of his head when she shrugged off the robe and let it fall to the floor.

He had never seen her outfit before, let alone seen her wearing it. Matching soft pink bra and panties, so sheer as to be almost see-through. The bra was cut so low that he could see the edge of her aureoles, pushed her breasts up to give her some truly impressive cleavage, and accented her erect nipples. And the panties… she had pulled them up high on her hips, so her cleft was clearly defined. And she had a few tiny wisps of hair peeking out of the left side. He quickly glanced to the right side, and saw wisps there, too. It was no accident – her obsession with symmetry had made her balance that out.

She slowly pirhouetted before him. The panties weren't quite a thong, but that just barely. Bones had often expressed her distaste for thongs, denouncing them as uncomfortable and unhygenic. The back material was just too wide to be considered a thong, but that plus their high-riding position left even more of her delicious buttocks exposed.

He tore his eyes away, and looked at the back of her bra. No clasp showed, which means it was in front. And that meant he'd have to essentially cup her breasts to remove it if it got in the way – and he was sure she'd arranged that, too.

There was no two ways about it. Bones intended to win this bet, and was prepared to do whatever it took to win.

She finally returned to facing him. She placed her hands on her hips, her feet well apart. "Ready to begin, Seeley? Or do you want to just admit failure now?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note:_

First up, I sent a private message to the original author, informing of what I was doing. I haven't heard back yet. 

_Next, I got a favorable review from a user called "Dancin' Phalanges!" How cool is that? The only thing cooler would be if he/she had reviewed my previous story! (Hint, hint)_

_Third, I have the next chapter already written, uploaded, and ready to publish. But I kinda wrote myself into a corner - I have two very different ways I can run with the story, and can't decide which way to go with it. I think I just might start typing, and see which way my fingers take me. Probably in the direction that causes the most complications for both parties concerned. _

_Thanks again for all the reviews and other feedback, folks!_

**The Bones In Bones**

Chapter 2

Booth stood before Bones, carefully considering matters. "OK, before I start, let's get a few ground rules clear. First up, I'm going to be focusing all my attention on identifying your bones, so you are in charge of keeping the running count."

"That seems fair."

"And one more thing. Your bones are kinda concealed under your skin and hair and flesh. Very fine skin and hair and flesh, but still concealed. I'd like a certain margin of error when it comes to precisely placing the bones."

She considered that. "Not to mention that some fused bones have sutures that can't be felt from the surface. All right, as long as you're in the right area – say, within a few centimeters – I'll count it as correct. However, if you do something like…" she took his hand and slowly stroked it up her thigh – "place my fibia in my thigh, I'll count that as a mistake and won't correct you."

"I take it you mean 'tibia' or 'fibula,' Bones? Good thing I know you better than to think you'd mispronounce a bone just to sabotage me and increase your chance of winning."

"Oh, did I mispronounce a bone's name? I'm so sorry, Seeley. I don't know what came over me." She smirked. "And I'd like to introduce a ground rule of my own – I want you to strip down to your underwear as well. Having you hovering around me, fully dressed, while I'm my underwear makes me feel a bit self-conscious."

Booth snorted. Temperance Brennan had never in her life been the slightest bit self-conscious about being undressed – partly or completely – in front of others, especially her lovers, even if they were in parkas and snow pants. Having him undress was yet another ploy in keeping him distracted and messing with his attention.

But he figured he'd let her have it. She wasn't being very subtle, but it nonetheless was an attempt to emotionally manipulate him, and that was a big step forward for her developing social skills. But he wasn't going to let her think she'd actually succeeded in fooling him. He snorted again, smirked back, and began removing his shirt. "That certainly sounds fair enough." Next went his shoes, socks, and pants.

"Oh, you are wearing your boxers with the cocks!" she exclaimed gleefully."

"Roosters, Bones."

I told you I don't understand the distinction."

"Let me try to explain. 'Roosters' can mean 'cocks,' and 'cock' is the most common slang term for 'penis.' So a man wearing who wears roosters is subtly referring to his own penis, asserting his masculinity."

She nodded. "That makes sense."

He continued. "But 'cock' is more commonly known as a synonym for 'penis' than 'rooster' – yes, even though the rooster connection is considerably older. When you say a man has 'cocks' on his boxers, you're implying that he has pictures of penises – and that would imply that the man was homosexual, because his shorts would be proclaiming that he most desires."

"I see. And for me to imply that you were homosexual would actually be an insult, an affront to your masculinity and a challenge to your identity as a heterosexual alpha male. Especially when one takes into account that I am both a woman and your lover."

"Exactly! I don't take it as an insult, as I know you don't intend it that way, but it's still not very pleasant to hear."

"So, should I make some gesture to atone for my offense? Something that asserts my belief in your masculinity, your heterosexuality, and your desirability as my lover?" Her eyes gleamed.

Booth groaned inside. It was an amazing offer, but it was just another attempt to break his concentration. "That's not necessary, Bones. That you understand it – and, I trust, won't do it again – is more than enough."

She was disappointed, but let it slide. "So, any more rules, or should we begin?"

"Let's start. In fact, let's start at the top, and see where things go from there." He placed his fingertips on her forehead. "Frontal bone." Then he slowly walked around her, his thumb brushing along one side of her head and his middle finger tracing the opposite sides, until they met at the back of her head. "Temporals, parietals, and occipital. That's six."

"Six." She affirmed.

"Now for your vertebrae." He changed to just his index finger at the base of her skull, and slowly started tracing down her spine. "Cervical vertebrae… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Thoracic…"

"Is my bra in the way? If it is, you could take it off. I wouldn't mind – after all, you're bare-chested, and it would seem only fair."

He was disappointed she had tried that ploy so quickly. He'd figured he'd have a bit longer. "No, that's all right. I can work around it. As I was saying, thoracic – one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Finally, lumbar one, two, three, four, five. There's another 24. What's that bring the total to?"

"30."

"Excellent." He then slipped his fingertip into her panties and kept descending. Then he increased the pressure until his finger slipped between the cleft of her buttocks – he could play the teasing game, too. "Coccyx." Then he traced his finger back up her spine, at the top pressed her shoulder blades with pinkie and thumb. "Scapulas."

"Actually, the plural is 'scapulae.'"

Either way, it's another three, bringing me up to 33. Correct?"

"Correct."

He slid his hands up her shoulders, then down her arms. "Humerus, radius, ulna. Another six." Then he took one of her hands in his, tracing down her pinkie. "Proximal phalange, medial phalange, distal phalange. Three." He stroked down her remaining fingers. "Six, nine, twelve." Then he caressed her thumb. "Proximal and distal. Two more, for fourteen." With that, he switched to her other hand and repeated the process. "Seventeen, twenty, 23, 26, and 28. With the six in your arms, that's another 34. What's that bring us to?"

"67." Her voice was slightly husky – nearly no one else would pick up on it, but Seeley could."

And that puts me fairly close to halfway there. Shall we continue, Bones, or would **you **care to consider giving up and admitting defeat?"

She snorted back at him. "Not a chance, Booth. You've used up a lot of the easy ones to get this far. And you skipped over most of my skull."

"I still can go back, if I need to." He moved in front of her, then kneeled. "Oh, my, Bones, you really must have been rushed when you changed your clothes. Let me fix this for you." The then very tenderly pulled the edge of her panties away and tucked those stray strands of her pubic hair back under them, first one side, then the other.

"Thanks so much. I don't know how I was so careless." She couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her voice. Another of her ploys went down in flames.

Booth didn't care. He was just proud she had tried. He then placed his hands on her hips, then slowly dragged them down the front of her legs. "Back to work. Femur, patella, tibia, and fibula tucked in behind. That's another eight."

Bones sighed. His ease in running up his score was concerning her, but his touches were also typically pleasant. She might have to wear that damned belt buckle after all. "75."

He gently lifted one foot, and started with her small toe. "Proximal, medial, and distal phlange." Just like with her hand, he worked his way across her foot. "Three, six, nine, twelve. Big toe – proximal and distal phalanges." He put her foot down, and lifted the other. "Seventeen, twenty, 23, 26, and 28 – just like the hand. What's my total now?"

Bones was getting worried. "103."

He stood back up and gloated a bit. "By my math, that puts me at about two-thirds towards winning, and about halfway towards naming all the bones in your body in total."

"You still have a ways to go, Booth, and you're running out of the easy ones."

"Oh, I know I'm running low, but I haven't run out."


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: ShimmerAteDeath answered my PM, and gave their blessing for me to continue. Thanks, gawilliams, for pushing me to do the right thing. To celebrate, I'm publishing this about 13 hours ahead of my original plan.  
_

The Bones In Bones

Chapter 3

Booth slowly reached forward, lightly tracing her collarbones. The straps of that damned bra made his fingers stumble. "Clavicles." They met in the middle, and he dragged them down between her breasts. "No, before you ask, your bra still isn't in the way. It's cut more than low enough in the front to allow me to reach your sternum. There's another three." With that, he allowed his fingertips to part and tickle the insides of her breasts.

"106, Booth. And are you saying that you want to give up and play instead?"

"Not in the least. Just taking a brief fondle-break. But for the next step, I think I'll take you up on your earlier offer." He then cupped her breasts, trying to keep as clinical as he could, and released the clasp. Her bra fell apart, and he eased the straps off her shoulders. He then gently placed her bra on the back of a nearby chair – it looked expensive, and he wanted to make certain she'd wear it for him again some time. "Rib time." He stretched her arms out to her sides, then slowly ran his fingers down her sides. "Two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, 22, 24. What's my total now?

"130."

"You really should start getting nervous, Bones. I'm very close to winning here."

"You're the one who ought to be worrying, Booth. From here on, it's all tough ones."

"Not entirely." He glided his hands down to her hips. "Here's your ilium…" His hands them moved to her buttocks.

"If those are in the way…" she started.

"Not in the least. They're so skimpy, it's almost like they're not even there." He cupped her buttocks. "Ischium." Then one hand reached between her legs from behind, pressed up into her groin. "And pubis. Three more."

"133."

For all the confidence in his voice, Booth was actually starting to worry. He had just reached the end of his easy ones. Now he was going to have to work at it. He stepped back and stared at her face, hoping for inspiration. He started an inner monologue.

OK, there are her cheekbones. Don't remember the proper term for that. And there's that bone that runs up the center of the back of the nose. It had some funny name, too. She won't accept those.

Jawbone. Nope, it had some Latin-sounding name that he couldn't recall. For some reason, he thought of insects, but he couldn't think beyond that. Neck – there's that tiny little bone in the throat. It was a real oddball – the only bone that didn't attach to any other bones. It anchored the tongue, and Bones had mentioned it in a lot of cases – it tended to get broken when someone was strangled. But dammit, the name was escaping him.

He looked further down. Nope, he'd gotten all the bones there. All he was looking at were her breasts and nipples, and they had no bones – he'd thoroughly checked on countless occasions. Nope, no bones, just breasts and nipples. Small nipples. Small, dark nipples. Small, dark, erect nipples. Small, dark, erect nipples that were begging to be caressed. Small, dark, erect nipples that were begging to be caressed and kissed. Small, dark, erect nipples that were begging to be caressed and kissed and…

"You seem stuck, Booth. I'm fairly certain that my breasts contain no bones, but you're free to verify it if you like."

He wrenched his eyes away to her arm. If it was anyone else, Booth would expect to be hearing the theme music from "Final Jeopardy," as they would be telling him to crap or get off the pot. Instead, he just got attitude.

"Just needed a little break, that's all."

She reached forward and cupped the front of his boxers, and smiled when she found just how erect he was inside. "I thought you said you weren't going to 'bone up' for this?"

He gently removed her hand – quite reluctantly. "Sorry, but 'boning up' doesn't mean 'getting a boner,' but it refers to a quick refresher study of a subject that one has previously studied in depth."

She nodded. "That would explain last week, when Cam talked about 'boning up' on certain federal regulations before submitting her annual budget. In retrospect, that should have been an indicator that it didn't necessarily refer to penises or anything sexual."

Back to her arm. There were only three bones in the arms – the elbow had no equivalent to the kneecap – and he'd gotten them all. There were a bunch in the wrists, but he'd never remember those, let alone identify them. One or two of them were something like "trapeze," and he cursed that that particular detail would choose to pop up now instead of something useful.

Wait a minute, he thought. The wrists were complicated, and he'd gotten the fingers, but he'd skipped right over the hands. And they were simple – just five bones each. Further, he remembered that they didn't have unique names, but had just one common name, again like the fingers. But what the hell was it?

He then remembered Doris, the old-school secretary from the office. She'd had to go out on disability from that wrist condition – repetitive-motion injury. But it had some name that everyone knew, it was practically a household word. And it used a term for the wrist bones…

Carpal! Carpal tunnel syndrome! The wrist bones were the carpals, and the hand bones were…

He took her hands in his, and pressed his thumbs across the backs of her hands. "Metacarpals. Two, four, six, eight, ten."

Bones was impressed. "143, Booth. But you're really slowing down."

"Just making you sweat a bit." But his mind was racing. The wrist and hand were remarkably similar to the ankle and foot, and the terms for the foot parts was similar to the wrist parts.

He dropped to his knees again, and pressed his thumbs across the tops of her feet. "Metatarsals. Two, four, six, eight, ten."

Bones cursed under her breath. He just might pull this off. "153." He only needed two more. Worse, she suspected he knew he was only two away.

Booth did know that, and he was stuck. He'd used up every bit of luck he had. All he needed was two more, and a pair of anything would win him the bet. He was certain that one of the bones in the ankle was the tarsus bone, but if he didn't nail it dead-on, she'd just rule that he'd picked a different bone and count it as an error. He'd never paid much attention to the skull, so he didn't have any hope for that. The facial bones were pretty much all singles. If he could remember the names for that stupid bone inside the nose, the buggy name for the jawbone, and that freak in her throat, he'd win the bet.

He let his eyes trail down her body again, this time forcing himself to not linger on her breasts. Nothing, nothing, nothing, and more nothing. He also kept himself from lingering too long on her panties - he'd tucked the stray hairs away, but they were still drawn up and clearly defined her cleft. Worse, he thought he saw signs of moisture. He forced his eyes down, over her long, luscious, long, strong, and long legs. Finally he got to her feet.

Wait a minute. Her feet. She'd said something about her feet last week, when they went out for dinner, dressed to the nines. She'd complained about how her shoes were too new, and were bothering her feet. And she'd made a squinty pun about it.

She'd been very proud of it, at first, but her pleasure had been diminished when he hadn't gotten it. It involved a rhyme of some sort, linking the proper name for a part of her foot and the injury her shoes were inflicting. She'd had to explain it to him, and it was a good pun, but way too esoteric for the vast majority of non-squints. She'd wasted it on him. But what was it?

He started thinking about the various injuries feet suffer. Sprains, bunions, blisters, corns…

_Calluses._

That was it. _"Booth, these shoes are killing me." She smiled brightly at him, a very proud smile. "In fact, they're giving me a callus on my…"_

He fell to his knees once more, in triumph, and grabbed her heels. "Calcaneus! One in each foot. That's 155, and I win!"

Bones looked down at him. "You calling it quits, then?"

He stood back up, a grin of triumph splitting his face. "I did the math, Bones. There are 206 bones in your body. Three-quarters would be 154 and a half, so 155 is the passing grade. And that's just how many I named. Now, about my prize…"

Bones smiled back at him. It was not a pleasant smile to be on the receiving end of. It was a gloating smile, the smile of someone just about to snatch victory out of someone else's jaws. "Sorry, Booth. You got one wrong. You lose, and I win."


	4. Chapter 4

The Bones In Bones

Chapter 4

"Huh?" Booth was confused, and a little bit angry. "What did I get wrong?"

Bones smirked, took his hand, and pressed his index finger between her breasts. "The sternum isn't a bone. It's three bones, fused together." She slowly traced it down her chest, from just below her collarbones and through her cleavage. "The manubrium… gladioulus… and xiphoid."

"That's crap, Bones. I've even heard you you refer to it."

"Yes, it's convenient to call it a bone, but technically it's three separate bones. And remember the Holden Chevalier case – the Santa bomb? One of the key pieces of evidence were the burns Ms. Wick found on his manubrium."

"I really try not to remember too much about that case. I still have nightmares of being wheeled around the lab in my underwear."

"I don't understand that. You have a very well-developed physique, and nothing to be ashamed of. Unless you're insecure about your lack of body hair…"

"Let's just drop it, Bones. OK, you win, I give. When do you you want to start collecting your reward?"

She smiled seductively, picked up her bra from the chair back, and turned towards the bedroom. "No time like the present, wouldn't you agree?"

BB BB BB BB

Temperance Brennan pushed Booth away from her. She desperately needed to catch her breath. He'd completed the first five phases of the sexual part of his "penalty" quite thoroughly. The massages had been exceptionally relaxing and arousing, and he'd actually spent closer to 20 minutes on her front and back, well in excess of the agreed-upon 15 minutes. Further, he had actually focused on massaging her for the most part, only crossing over into foreplay once he'd thoroughly worked her muscles. His "secret technique" had brought her a truly wonderful orgasm, marred only by her ongoing frustration to understand exactly what he was doing with her and his smug refusal to describe it.

The second orgasm had been almost mind-blowing. There was a common belief that women were better at cunnilingus than men, generally, as they were theoretically more in tune with the female anatomy. It certainly had proven true in Brennan's occasional encounters with other women, and she was rather proud of her own skills in that area. But Booth was easily the best she'd ever had. The only complaint she ever had was the occasional stubble-burn she'd get (something she never had to worry about with women), but he was getting better at shaving before bed when his face was too rough. That, plus the fact that his fingers were longer, thicker, and stronger than the average woman's, put Booth in a league of his own.

The third one – the first of the two "freestyle" orgasms he was committed to providing – wasn't quite as intense as the first two, but she was still thoroughly worked up from those. He'd inserted two fingers inside her, thrusting in and out while stroking the walls of her vagina – with extra attention to her G-spot. He'd assigned his thumb the duty of clitoral stimulation. His other arm had wrapped under her, cradling her tenderly against him, while he licked, nibbled, and sucked on her breasts until her nipples felt like they were ready to burst right off her breasts. She finally had to push him away at the peak of her climax, needing a break from the stimulation. She sprawled across the bed, arms and legs akimbo, flat on her back, trying to regain her breath and composure. She tried not to think about how she had obligated him to provide her with yet one more orgasm.

She felt the bed shift as Booth got up. She heard him pad out of the room, returning a moment later, and felt something cold between her breasts.

"Here. You look a bit dehydrated and overheated." She forced open her eyes, and saw he had placed a bottle of ice-cold spring water on her chest.

"Thanks." She tipped the cap to her lips and chugged down half the bottle, only lifting it away when she needed to breathe. "I'm going to need a minute to recover."

"No problem. I can wait." He returned to his side of the bed and lay back down on his side, watching her.

She finished off the water bottle and placed it on the nightstand. It teetered briefly on the edge before falling to the floor. She found she lacked both the energy to pick it up and the concern to want to do so. She closed her eyes again and slowly brought her breath under control.

Then she felt the bed shift again, and felt a familiar pressure between her legs. "Booth, what are you doing?"

"You said a minute, it's been sixty seconds. Time for round four." He pressed the head of his penis against her labia, pressing it in and rubbing it up and down her lips. Then he began slowly teasing the head just barely in and out of her vagina.

"Wait a minute, Booth. That's not allowed. I specifically said you had to keep your boxers on the whole time."

She could hear the smile in his voice. "And I am. You didn't say anything about opening the fly, though."

She slid her hands down his sides, and he was right – he was still wearing his boxers. He'd found a loophole in her rules.

Oh, what the hell. As exhausted as she was, she found she wanted him inside her as much as he did. She slid her hands under his boxers and grabbed his buttocks. "Let's get this going, Booth. I've had far more than enough foreplay." She pulled him down until he was fully buried inside her. She briefly toyed with the notion of making him stop once she had her orgasm, but decided that that would be cruel – he'd more than earned the right to climax.

BB BB BB BB BB

Booth strode into the Jeffersonian, a grim look of determination on his face. Bypassing the lab, he headed straight towards Dr. Camille Saroyan's office. He brushed past her secretary. "Cam, I gotta ask you a few questions about bones."

"Seeley, I told you – she's my employee, you're my ex, and I will not get in the middle of your personal relationship."

"Huh? Oh, no – not Bones, I'm talking about actual bones. Human bones, not… well, the human being Bones."

"Oh, OK. But you do realize that as good as I am, she's far better than I am."

"Yeah, but I can't ask her, and you're the best I know apart from her."

"You've lost me, Seeley."

"We had a bet, that I couldn't name three-quarters of the bones in the human body. I did, but she said I didn't."

"What was the dispute over?"

"I said the sternum, and she said it wasn't a bone, but three separate bones."

"Well, technically, she is correct. But…" she paused thoughtfully.

"But what?"

"Did you two agree on the total number of bones before you started?"

"Not officially, but yeah – we both used 206."

"In that case, you just might have an argument."

Booth smiled. "Would you mind putting that in writing?"

"One condition, Seeley. Under no circumstances will you ever tell me any more details of this wager, including how it was conducted and the stakes."

"Agreed."

BB BB BB BB BB

Brennan looked up as she heard the door to the lab open. As she had hoped, it was Booth.

"Come on, Bones. We got a case." He led her back to his SUV, briefing her as they walked. "Big one, lots of attention. White House staffer, found in a federal park. No question of Bureau jurisdiction on this one." He headed for the driver's seat, but Bones grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Just a minute, Seeley. Remember the bet? Give me the keys."

"Oh, about that bet. Here." He held out not the keys, but a carefully-folded sheet of paper. She opened it.

_"Dr. Brennan:_

_As a fellow professional and your direct superior, I find I must correct you on an error you recently made in bone identification. While it is true that the sternum is composed of three fused bones, it is considered a single bone on the accepted list of 206 bones in the human body – much like the sacrum and coccyx, which also consist of several smaller bones fused together. If you did, indeed, discount the sternum as part of that list, then you did so improperly._

_Dr. Camille Saroyan_

Booth smirked. "Now, Dr. Brennan, I believe we have some matters to discuss – the proper resolution of our little wager, my collection on my fairly-won prize, and perhaps some kind of penalty for your unfairly-claimed victory."


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note:  
_

_First up, I originally intended for Booth to name the vomer, mandible, hyoid, and sacrum, but that was because I "knew" that there were 212 bones in the body. Once I started researching and found out there were 206, I had to have Booth "miss" four bones from my original count. But I was so proud of knowing them myself, I had to at least refer to them._

_I owe a tip of the hat to reader Selene Illusinia, who guessed the general idea behind Booth's "error" and inadvertently pushed me figure out just how Bones would react – and assured me that I actually did sound like I knew what I was talking about vis-à-vis human bones. _

_This chapter is going to be a bit more serious than I originally intended, as the idea of Bones consciously "cheating" bugged me a little. So I had to find some alternative. Trust me, the humorous aspects will return. _

The Bones In Bones

Chapter 5

Brennan stopped and stared at the note in her hand.

"Come on, Bones, we got a case. Get in the car!" Booth called.

Bones automatically got into the passenger seat and buckled up purely by instinct, but her eyes never left the note.

Booth glanced over at her, concerned. "Bones, you OK? Hey, it's no big deal."

"I need… I need a few minutes, Booth." She closed her eyes.

Before her, she saw her table. Then, starting with the feet, she slowly "built" a skeleton, bone by bone. Feet, ankles, legs, spine, ribs, then skull. But for the first time in her life, she did it bone by bone – and numbered each.

She finished off the skull with the vomer, bone number 203.

Then she went back in and filled in the chest. Three bones in the sternum, for 206.

But her skeleton still had no pelvis. Ilium, ischium, pubis.

Sacrum – four to six fused sacral vertebrae.

Finally, coccyx. Three to five fused coccygeal vertebrae.

Her eyes snapped open. "Booth, the human body has at least 216 bones, not 206!"

"What are you saying now, Bones? I still lost?"

"No, forget the stupid bet! You win, all right? This is far more important!"

Booth could hear the tension – hell, near panic – in her voice. He looked over at her, and nearly hit a taxi. He forced himself to focus on the road. "Bones, what's wrong? I'm not getting you here."

"Booth, I've spent my entire life studying the human skeleton. I know every bone by name, by sight, by touch. I know every aspect of their surface, purpose, and function. I am quite possibly the world's greatest expert on bones. _But I never once counted them."_

"Huh? Keep going, I'm trying to catch up."

"Booth, I'd always taken the number 206 for granted. It was a tenet of faith. But I never once noticed that several of the 'bones' on that list were actually collections of fused bones. I've spent my entire academic and professional career operating under a very flawed assumption, Booth!"

Booth spotted a vacancy by the curb and pulled over. He looked her in the eyes. "Hey, Bo – Temperance. It's no big deal."

She snapped at him. "It's a huge deal, Booth. My entire professional identity is based on precision and accuracy and simply knowing everything – and here I've not only made a huge mistake, I've been making it for almost two decades. And it took you and a silly sex game to get me to recognize it."

"There is nothing silly about our sex games, Temperance."

She swatted at him. "This is no time for joking, Booth."

"On the contrary – this is exactly the time for joking."

She stopped and stared at him. "I know I say it a lot, Booth, but I really don't understand that."

"You're experiencing what most people would call a 'crisis of faith.' You've just had some aspects of your most fundamental beliefs not only challenged, but shattered. You have two ways of dealing with it. You can obsess over it and let it break you, or you can adapt to it, learn to adjust your beliefs to reflect the new reality you've just discovered. And the easiest way I've found to start that process is to laugh."

"That makes a bit of sense, but… laugh?"

"Yes, **Bones, **laugh. You're the world's greatest expert on bones. It's even your nickname. And you made a very simple, very silly mistake that you didn't catch for years – as you said it took me and a sex game for you to recognize that."

"Silly sex game, Booth. I said 'silly' sex game.'"

"And I said there is nothing silly about our sex games. There's nothing silly about anything involving our sex life."

"You're… joking here, right? You're emphasizing an insignificant portion of our discussion far beyond its relevance as a form of absurdity, to draw me out from fixating on the main point."

"Let me add that there is nothing insignificant or absurd about our sex life, either."

Bones smiled in spite of herself. "And it's working."

He finally cracked a smile. "See, Bones? Don't you see the absurdity in the whole situation?"

"Yeah… yeah, I do, Booth. But it still hurts."

"Well, as I said, you have a choice here. You can obsess over it and let it ruin your entire professional career, or you can note that even you can fall victim to assumptions and not occasionally questioning even the most fundamental aspects of your chosen profession. Hey, you could even write up a professional article out of it, talking about how we're doing students a disservice by simply feeding them the 206 number without putting a little asterisk on it."

Bones considered his words – she didn't quite get the "asterisk" part, but could figure out the gist of it from the context. She then leaned forward and embraced him. "Thank you, Seeley. I don't think I want to put my ignorance on such open display – an admission like that could compromise my professional standing and give grounds to have my expert testimony challenged in every single case I've ever worked. But you're right about how I need to learn to assimilate this into my professional outlook without letting it impair my efficiency."

Booth held her tightly (cursing the bucket seats of his SUV) and whispered in her ear. "But, babe, you still lost the bet – and I fully intend to collect. Plus, I think, a little extra for making me pay up."

"She pushed him away, but with a smile. "Oh, please. You enjoyed that almost as much as I did."

"Well, I'll grant you I did enjoy it, but nowhere near as much as you did. After all, I know just how good I can be."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note:_

_First up, as proud as I am of my technical details, I didn't realize I had a reader who had actually studied forensic anthropology. The 206/216 bone count issue could – and probably should – have been resolved with a reminder to Bones of the differing count for adults and children, and her embarrassment over the matter. Instead, I went heavy for the drama, and it really wasn't necessary._

_My first idea is to rewrite the piece, but I'm too damned proud of it to mess with it. Instead, I'll simply invoke the Jedi Mind Trick:_

_**You don't need to see my rationalizations. These aren't the flaws you're looking for. You can continue with your browsing. Read along.**_

_However, if I do end up writing any more stories that involve technical details, I will seriously be begging Selene Illusinia to be my technical beta. It bugs me to get things wrong – or, even, not as right as they could be. _

_This chapter is definitely rated M, and so will the next. I've already determined what "penalty" Bones will have to pay – and it will not be pretty. _

The Bones In Bones

Chapter 6

Bones pulled a tissue from the box on her nightstand, wiped her mouth, and then took a long swig from the water bottle she's strategically placed there. Then she crawled up Booth's body and draped herself over him. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. She preferred curling up next to him, her head in the hollow of his shoulder while his arm draped around her, often drawing lazy circles in the small of her back, but she knew he loved the feeling of her lying atop him, face to face, and this night was all about pleasing him.

She still felt a little guilty about mistakenly claiming victory on their wager, and had vowed to exceed the terms of his victory. Instead of fifteen minutes, she'd spent half an hour each sensually massaging him, front and back. She'd actually enjoyed the hell out of that – she spent so much time dealing with bones, it was tremendously refreshing to study and manipulate bones still encased in flesh and bone, especially when it was alive and belonged to such a well-formed specimen, and most importantly Booth's. She'd found herself often just playing with his body, moving him around, flexing and stretching his joints, silently noting the names and functions of nearly every part of his body. It was almost like being back in college – but far, far more entertaining.

His insistence on her being nude as well during the process was also a source of stimulation for her. She had frequently brushed and pressed her breasts against various portions of his body, arousing them both. She had also used her vulva, pressing her groin against the small of his back, grinding herself against his thighs (front and back), and even at one point straddling his crotch and gliding her labia up and down the underside of his (very erect) penis.

She'd then spent 20 minutes demonstrating every single thing she'd ever learned about fellatio. Lips, tongue, even the very careful application of teeth. And her hands had been quite thoroughly busy, too – testes, scrotum, perineum, thighs, buttocks (but not his rectum – that he had made abundantly clear on numerous occasions.

She was prepared to continue, but Booth had warned her that he was about to climax. At that point, she made a spur-of-the-moment decision and chose to give him a gift she had rarely chosen to bestow. Instead of pulling her head away and bringing him to orgasm with her hands, she redoubled her sucking and gently squeezed his testes until he finally erupted in her mouth, and she swallowed as fast as she could. It wasn't her preferred act, but she understood how intensely pleasurable it was for him and wanted to give him as much pleasure as possible.

"Whoo, Bones. That was a rare treat."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Seeley. Consider it a special reward."

"Oh, I definitely do."

They lay there, in a comfortable silence, gently caressing each other. Finally, Bones slid off Booth and tucked herself into their customary position. She traced her hand down his chest, to his groin. "I believe we have one final element to fulfill..."

"Whoa, Bones. I'm not 17 any more. I'll need a bit more time to recover."

"That's a shame, Booth, because I am extremely aroused right now."

He chuckled, and reached across to place his hand on her hip. "Well, there are ways to deal with that..."

She pushed his hand away. "That's not allowed. Remember, this is all about my pleasing you, not you pleasing me."

"I really don't mind..."

"But I do. You just relax and rest up, and I'll... entertain myself while I wait."

"Huh? You got a book or something?"

"No, something better." She took her hand and began to slowly caress her breast. "While I prefer your attentions, I am quite capable of satisfying my own sexual needs."

Booth was dumbfounded. "Um... er... ah..."

"You don't mind, Seeley? It doesn't bother you if I choose to touch myself, to please myself, while you lie there and watch?"

"...Ug... uh..." Booth's jaw moved, but no actual words came out."

"You are often praising my breasts, Seeley. I appreciate that, and find you are quite right – they are very sensitive and responsive. For example, when I caress them like this, my nipples become quite erect. And when I manipulate my nipples, like this, it is very stimulating. I can feel myself becoming more and more aroused."

She slid a hand down her stomach. "Also, as you have noted, my inner thighs are very sensitive. I enjoy caressing them, stroking my fingers up and down, teasing myself. It's the very fine touch that is the most effective."

Booth didn't even try to vocalize any more. Every ounce of his will was focused on watching Bones pleasure herself in front of him, to the point where he fought even the necessity of blinking.

"As god as I am at pleasing myself, though, Seeley, I find that I prefer to emulate your techniques. I find that touching myself as you touch me to be more gratifying, as it lets me fantasize that it is you touching me. For example, when I gently slide my fingertip up and down my labia... like this... I find myself reminiscing of the times you have touched me."

She stroked a bit more firmly. "Now I want to part my labia, and begin stroking the inside surfaces like you do. But as wet as I am, my fingertip isn't quite wet enough for comfort, so I'll have to dip it inside me to get it fully moistened, so it glides most readily over my genitals."

"Now, I feel aroused enough to directly stimulate my clitoris. I have always been able to bring myself to orgasm, but not as well as you can with that damned trick of yours you won't share. I would very much like to use it myself, but you are too selfish, and so I find that I have to make do with... older and more familiar methods."

Bones glanced down at Booth's crotch. Her little show was working – he was almost half erect. But she realized he could stand some more stimulation – and, she found, she wanted to go on as well.

"Stimulating my clitoris could lead to a satisfactory orgasm, but I find that I am not interested in an orgasm from that alone. I want vaginal penetration." She slipped her finger down, and pressed it inside herself.

"Now that is closer to what I desire. But as pleasant as all this is, it's not as satisfactory as when you touch me. My finger is quite dextrous, but not as large and strong as yours. Finally, there is an element of predictability in my touching myself – I know precisely what I will do, and when. When you are touching me, I never know with absolute certainty what you will do from one moment to the next, and that unknown factor greatly enhances my pleasure."

At that point, Booth knew his cue – and he was ready to take it. He rolled on his side, his arms reaching out for her. "I think it's time for a bit of that unpredictability you were talking about."

She pushed him away. "No, I don't think so." She kept pushing him until he was on his back. "As you apparently forgot, you put conditions on that. You just lie there, and let me take charge."


	7. Chapter 7

_OK, this is the end of this story. Again, my profoundest thanks to all who read, followed, favorited, and especially messaged and reviewed – it's the feedback that makes writing and publishing online so worthwhile. My special thanks to 4evercaskett, gawilliams, and especially Selene Illusinia. _

_And huge thanks to ShimmerAteDeath, who gave their blessing to my taking their partial story and running with their original ideas.  
_

_As before, I have no further plans to write any more. But I said that after my first story, and look at how long that lasted..._

The Bones In Bones

Chapter 7

Bones slithered on top of Seeley, her body pressing down on his, full-length. She realized she'd been neglecting one aspect, though, and pressed her lips to his.

She found she greatly enjoyed kissing him. He was a superb kisser. When he kissed her, she could sense that his entire attention was focused on her, on the kiss, and excluded the entire rest of the world. There was only him, only her, and only the kiss.

Several moments passed. At some point, his hands had found their way to her back, stroking up and down. Now he had taken her by the hips, and was pressing her against him. She took the hint.

Bones reluctantly pulled her head back, and rose up. She settled on his lap and took her hands in his. She slowly rocked back and forth, gliding her labia up and down the underside of his penis.

"Is this what you've been waiting for, Seeley? Me on top of you?"

"Not quite..."

"Oh, you want to be inside me, don't you? Well, aren't you lucky – that's what I want, too." She raised up her hips, then freed one hand to grasp his penis. She pressed the head against the entrance of her vagina. She slowly lowered herself, so he was just barely inside her – then slid back up him. Her control was so fine that the head of his penis was just barely slipping in and out of her, but never fully withdrawing. "Is this better?"

"Better, but..."

"You want more, don't you? This isn't enough for you? You want to be entirely inside me?" With that, she suddenly dropped, sheathing him entirely within her. "Is that what you were waiting for?"

"Oh, God!"

"I'll take that as a 'yes.' Now, from this point, I see three options. One, I can just stay still, and enjoy the feeling of you inside me. That has its appeal. Or, I can start rocking my pelvis back and forth." She started doing so. "This feels much better for me, as it lets me press my clitoris against you. But I understand that while you enjoy it, too, you prefer if I instead move more vertically than horizontally, sliding you in and out of me. And since tonight is all about your pleasure, that's what I'll do."

"Temperance, you feel so good..."

"Yes, I do. And you make me 'feel good' too, Seeley. But I'm going to need a little help from you."

"Anything you want."

"Give me your hands." She braced his elbows on the bed, then took his hands and shifted a bit of her weight on to him. "Making love to you this way puts a bit of strain on my thighs, and if you can help support my weight, it's easier for me and I can go longer without discomfort." She stroked his hands with her thumbs. "Also, I enjoy holding your hands. I love your hands, Seeley. They are strong, perfectly formed, and remarkably talented. It always impresses me how, considering all the stresses you've put them through, you can be so tender with me."

She continued sliding up and down, studying his face, never breaking his gaze. It was important to both of them that they constantly keep in mind that this wasn't just sex. This wasn't just the convenient interaction of erogenous zones. This was about the two of them – Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth – pleasing each other, rejoicing in the pleasure they could give each other, and rejoicing in the attentions of the other. This was about the two of them, together, and no one else.

"Seeley, I'm going to have to shift around a little. My thighs are getting tired. You don't mind if I let go of your hands, do you?"

"That depends. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I'm going to put my hands here," she reached behind herself and pressed her palms against his thighs, "to change my weight distribution." She gave him one of her trademark wicked smiles, one that she saved just for him. "But that means that your hands are free, so you'll have to find something else to do with them..."

Seeley smiled back. He could take a hint. He reached up to cup her breasts, gently caressing them and teasing her nipples. She'd told him how sensitive they were, and he hadn't needed to be told twice. He also noticed that her shifting had slightly changed the angle of her hips, and now he was sliding in and out of her in an even more pleasant angle.

"You're getting close, aren't you, Seeley?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Then I think it's time for you to take control a bit." She reluctantly took his hands away from her breasts, and placed them on her hips. "Why don't you set the pace here, move me how how you want me to move?"

He didn't need any more encouragement. He started rocking her back and forth and holding her tight against him while he thrust in and out of her. He could feel his orgasm building.

So could Bones. It was time for his final little surprise. It wasn't much of a surprise, as she usually did this, but he was never quite certain when she would. She took one hand off his thigh, reached down behind her, and cupped his testicles. She gently stroked and squeezed him, urging him to climax.

He didn't need much of a hint. He tightened his grip on her hips, then lunged upwards one final time. Bones could feel him burst deep within her, and let his convulsions trigger her own climax. As the waves diminished, she lay back down atop him, and he gently slipped out of her. She resumed kissing him for a while, but with considerably less intensity than before.

"So, Seeley, did I fulfill the terms of our wager?"

"Oh, Bones, did you ever. We're going to have to have more bets like that."

"I told you before we began, I'm quite willing to do these sorts of things every now and then merely for the asking, and I presume you are, too."

"Yeah, Bones, but it's so much better when it's earned. When there's the thrill of the risk involved."

"I believe I understand you. The difference is when it's the terms of a wager, there is a certain random element involved. As rewards tend to be more valued when they are earned than when they are given, simply offering such attentions as we have enjoyed is not as satisfying as knowing that one had to work to achieve them."

"That's a part of it, Bones. Plus the competition between us – you know that that's always a big thing."

"It is also a healthy way for you to indulge in your obsession with gambling, allowing to sublimate the urges and avoid the destructive potential. Because as I said, in cases like this, there's no real loser – it's more about who wins more."

"Now you're starting to get it, Bones. But don't go trying to change the subject."

"What do you mean? I'm not trying to change the subject. What subject am I trying to avoid?"

"Yes, you've given me my reward for winning the bet. But there's still the matter of your penalty, for telling me I lost and claiming your prize when I actually won."

"That was an innocent mistake. There was no malice involved, no intention to cheat, and I apologized. I deeply regret the error."

"Yeah, that's true, Bones, but there still has to be a penalty. And we'll address that tomorrow night." With that, he pushed her off him and tucked her against his side, her head on his chest.

"Tomorrow night? You're going to make me wait?"

"Consider that as part of the penalty, Bones."

"Can't you at least give me a hint?"

"Definitely not. I wouldn't want you to..." he smiled, "'bone up' before I got home."

BB BB BB BB BB

"Hey, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"There's nothing, wrong, Angela. Why do you think there is?"

"You're so wrapped up in that lab coat. I've never seen you wear your lab coat so much – and so tightly."

"I just feel like it today."

"Is that just it? Or is it something else? Something like..." With that, Angela's hands darted out and pulled open her lab coat. "...that?"

Bones sighed. "Yes, it's Seeley's 'cocky' belt buckle. Under the terms of a wager I lost, I have to wear it to work for a week. He called you, didn't he?"

"Nope. No phone calls." She paused. "He texted me. And he also said to tell you that you have to wear it where everyone can see it, or it doesn't count."

Bones slipped the belt off, then threaded it through the loops of her lab coat. This was going to be a very long week. On the bright side, who knows what sort of substances and contaminants the buckle could be exposed to, during the normal course of her duties...

BB BB BB BB BB

Booth pushed open the door of their apartment, a wrapped package under his arm. "Bones, you home?"

"Right here, Booth. I presume that has something to do with my 'penalty?'"

"Yup. I had to stop by the book store to pick it up. And you better study it most carefully, because there will be a test. A test you had better not fail." He gave her his most predatory smile. "And I believe that we've established 75% as the passing grade."

"Seeley, if that's a Kama Sutra, I've told you I have four copies of that already. One's an antique, and two of them are quite extensively illustrated."

"Why, Dr. Brennan, you have such a dirty mind. Where on earth did you get the notion that this would have anything to do with sex?"

"Well, considering our previous wagers and terms, I just assumed..."

"I thought you just learned the dangers of assumptions, Bones. Go ahead and open it."

She carefully removed the wrapping paper. Seeley was right; there was nothing at all sexual about the book he intended for her to study.

OFFICIAL RULEBOOK OF THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

She sighed and briefly considered just tossing the book aside and accepting whatever "penalty" he had cooked up. She had a hunch that it would be less unpleasant than studying...


End file.
